Process of deflocculating non-metallic amorphous bodies.



EDWARD GdODRICH ACEESON, F STAMFORD TOWNSHIP, WELLAND, pNTARIO, CANADA.

PROCESS or IDEZFLOCGULATING NON-METALLIC A'MoRrHoUs BODIES.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EnwAnn GooDRIoH AorIEsoN, a citizen of the United States, re-' siding in Stamford township, in the county of \Velland, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Defiocculating Non-Metallic Amorphous Bodies, of which the following is'a specification.

In my prior U. S. Patent No. 843,426, granted February 5, 1907 I describe a method of treating amorphous bodies, the general object of which is the disintegration of such amorphous bodies into the finest possible particles or molecules, whereby said fine particles or molecules may be further treated or used in various ways and for many purposes. As stated in that patent, it is exceedingly desirable in many cases that non-fused mineral bodies elemental or compound in character .and more particularly amorphous bodies or substancesfor instance, like graphite, *lampblack, precipitated alumina, clay,siloxicon, and amorphous carbid of silicon--be disintegrated and deflocculated into the finest possible particles or molecules, whereb the particles or molecules may be maintalnedjn this finely subdivided or disintegrated condition, so

that, for instance, they will remain su's pended in Water and can be used in this connection with great advantages, as in lubrication and the like, whereby the deflocculated particles or molecules may be flocculated and otherwise treated and collected for use in various connections, as in the formation of molded and other articles.

I have discovered that certain non-fused mineral bodies, and more particularly amorphous bodies,-whentreated or subjected. to the action of certain materials, as more particularly set forth hereinafter, can not only be disintegrated into exceedingly fine particles or molecules, but they will remain in this condition without the usual tendency to coalesce or fiocculate and While in this condition may be used for various purposes. The deflocculated particles or molecules can be further treated,'as herein set forth, so as to cause them to flocculate, and in this way the amorphous bodies may be separated from other bodies, as crystallinebodles, and

can be used for various purposes.

In that patent I described the use, for producing this modifying effect .on the non- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed July 24, 1908. semi No. 445,132.

fused mineral bodies, especially the amorphous bodies, of material such as had an astringent tannic principle, such as is round in gallotannic acid, catechu, extract o straw and the like. In the use of such materials certain difficulties arise, owing to the action of the acid principle on the metal of thevessci or machine in which the operations are carried out, with the formation of salts, which react on and tend to fiocculate the already deflocculated body, thereby lowering the efiiciency of the process.

My present invention is based on the .discovery that organic matter, such as solid excrement of animals, as for example, cows dung, contains a material which seems to be more efficient than tannin as a deflocculating material, and has the great advantage of being entirely neutral in its reaction, being neither acid nor alkaline.

In carrying out my process the powdered amorphous material is treated with a solution or extract of the excremental material, (which may be in quantity as much as 25% of the powdered amorphous material), and thoroughly worked, as by means of a mortar or pugging mill, wherein it is disintegrated. The material may then be dried and used in various ways, or as when an especially pure, fine, and'uniform product is desired the material as it comes from the mill is diluted with water or other liquid in a suitable vessel, and the fine disintegrated and deflocculated particles or molecules of the body being treated are suspended in the liquid and may be caused to float into another vessel or tank, and this may be repeated one or more times. The fine disintegrated and deflocculated particles or molecules may'be recovered from the liquid in various ways, preferably by adding to the liquid carrying the particles a small amount of muriatic acid or alum, which will cause the deflocculated particles or molecules to flocculate and settle, whereupon the clear liquid, free from the particles, may be decanted or siphoned off and the particles collected in the form of a very fine powder and washed, dried, or otherwise treated and used; or the deflocculated material may be freed of the greater part of ,the water in which it is suspended by filterin through a suitable medium, as a rubber film, and the result-. ant paste of water and deflocculated material; freed from the remaining water by PatentedAug. 24, 1909.

masticating with an oil, the deflocculated material being thereby left as a' paste with" the oil.

What I claim is 1 1. The method substantially as hereinbefore setforth of disintegrating and deflocculating amorphous bodies, which consists in mixing them with a solution or extract of solid excrement of animals grinding the mass and separating the deflocculated par- I ticles. a

2. The method substantially as hereinbefore set forth of disintegratingand deflocciilating amorphous b0dies,'wh1ch consists in mixing them with a solution or extract of 15 \Vitnesses:

FRANK N. CoE, WILLIAM H. ARTSON.

' EDWARD eooaamu ici msoa, 

